Button



at 1, 1935. J. M. CLARK ET AL BUTTON Filed Oct. 29, 1954 @7272 Clark Ira D. 25rd decease fig 771a Cbrzadcz fiusz Com vary and l/l ozef M 23r fctecujfiis and frasZees fi aMoMw Patented Oct. 1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUTTON Application October 29, 1934, Serial No. 750,486 In Canada March 15, 1933 3 Claims.

This invention relates to buttons, and among other objects aims to provide a cheap metal button of improved superficial accuracy.

The nature of the invention may be readily 5 understood by reference to one illustrative but-' ton shown in the accompanying drawing.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a sectional elevation of a button on an enlarged scale and exaggerated in some respects to illustrate details;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view thereof also exaggerated in some respects to illustrate the elimination of the effect of irregularities in the button head; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the head covering shell before the latter is crimped over the button head.

Buttons of the present character are generally employed on working clothing, play-suits, etc. to

which they are attached by high speed machinery. A rapid attachment by machinery is not practicable unless the buttons be uniform in size and superficially accurate in dimensions. irregularities and imperfections, small though they are, cause much difficulty and delay since they are responsible for many interruptions of the high speed attaching machines. Low cost of manufacture and low attaching costs are of course essential in buttons for the aforesaid character of garments.

Low manufacturing costs are realized in this instance by making the button without waste from relatively cheap solid soft steel rod or wire blanks whose length is sufficient to provide an adequate volume of metal for the head and shank of the button. The wire or rod may advantageously be about one-quarter of an inch in diameter and have a carbon content of approximately .05 to .15 of 1%. The diameter of the blank is substantially the diameter of the shank of the finished button. The length of the blank is adjusted to the desired diameter of the head of the finished button. In other words, the diameter of the button head may be governed largely by the selected initial length of the button blank without materially altering the character of the forming operations or of the mechanical devices employed for forming the button.

As here shown, the button comprises a solid body In consisting of a relatively thin head ll and a round cylindrical shank I2 which as aforesaid is substantially the original diameter of the blank wire. The end of the shank is formed 65 with a die recess or cup l3 having a curved bottom for bending or upsetting the fastener prongs by means of which the button is secured to a garment. Being made of steel, the surface of the cup itself is sufiiciently hard without the use of auxiliary elements, to curl or upset the fastener 5 prongs. The button may be equipped in well known ways for attachment by either a single or double prong fastener.

The head of the button is here shown finished by a thin metal shell. l4 preferably of rust- 10 proofed or non-corrosive sheet metal appropriately embossed on its face as at l5 for the purpose of decoration or otherwise. The shell is secured to the button head by flanges It which are crimped around the edge of the button head 1 into gripping contact with the back or underface of the button head. The button may be manufactured according to the process fully ex-. plained in the co-pending application Serial No. 654,902 filed February 2, 1933 and in the Patent 20 No. 1,920,497 of which the said co-pending application was a continuation in part as regards subject matter covered in this application, and it will not be necessary therefore again to describe all the details of manufacture. It will be sum- 25 cient for present purposes to explain that the rod-like blanks of predetermined length are flattened at one end by a header to form the button head, the portion of the blank consisting of the button shank being, during such flattening op- 3 eration, confined by a die to prevent lateral spreading. Preferably the die cup I3 is substantially completely formed in the end of the blank before the opposite end is subjected to heading operations.

This method of manufacture materially contributes to low cost not only by employing relatively cheap raw materials, but by minimizing" waste and handling.

' In flattening the end of the blank to form the 40 button head, the latter is allowed to spread laterally freely, and the final diameter and circular contour of the head results from the free or natural spreading of the predetermined volume of metal allotted to form the button head. This 45 avoids the formation of flash which would inevitably occur if an effort were made to confine and thereby to shape the rim of the button head, it being understood that it is generally impossible so accurately to control the process of 50 manufacture as to avoid the production of flash. In spite of uniformity of materials and precision in apparatus employed, slight though imperceptible irregularities occur in the circular shape of the button head which involve problems solved by the present invention as hereinafter explained.

As suggested above, the irregularities, slight though they are, which may occur in the button present difficulties in the attachment of the button by high speed automatic machines. These difficulties are eliminated (and the button thus made practical for use in high speed machines) by covering the button heads with accurately shaped sheet metal shells i l whose internal di ameter A is sufiiciently large to accommodate all variations in button head diameters and which shells are applied concentrically to the button shank. The shells may be stamped from sheet metal by ordinary dies (at which time they may be embossed as aforesaid) and they can therefore be made absolutely accurate. To avoid any objectionable looseness of. the shell on the button head which would generally ensue by reason of its increased size to take care of variations in button head and also to prevent rotation of the shell on the head, the button is advantageously provided on its underface adjacent its'rim with irregularities in its surface in the form of a series of projections ll (four in the present instance) which prevent looseness or rotation of the shell on the button head even though the latter may not entirely fill the shell as indicated in exaggerated condition at E8 in Figs. 1 and 2. As here shown, the flanges it? of the shell are curled over andpressed into tight engagement with the back face of the button in the region of the projections or teeth "H. The latter indent the flange of the shell sufliciently to prevent rotation and also to hold theshell firmly on the button head against any lateral movement. As stated above, the shell is preferably located centrally with reference to the shank 2 and independently of any eccentric ties or irregularities in the button head. Thus the outer edge or rim i9 of the finished button head as formed by the shell itself is not only perfectly circular and uniform, but is concentric with the shank IZ regardless of eccentricities or irregularities in diameter of the button head H.

One form of mechanism'for thus attaching the shell concentrically with the button shank is disclosed in the said co-pending application, but it is unnecessary for present purposes to repeat such disclosure here. It will be understood that.

the shell may be applied concentrically to the shank by any means which hold the shell and button shank concentrically to each other (and independently of the button head I l) at the time flange I6 of the shell is crimped into gripping engagement with the back of the button head and caused to conform to the aforesaid noncircular irregularities on the back face of the button head sufficiently toprevent rotation of the shell on the button head. Since neither the button shank nor the shell involve in their formation the irregularities present in the button head, but

may be made with accuracy, they may be accurately positioned and assembled concentrically by tools or dies which are themselves fixed in concentric relation and respectively engage and center the button shank and shell.

This application is a continuation in part of the co-pencling application Serial No. 654,902.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the details of the illustrative construction since these may be variously modified. Moreover it is not indispensable that all features of the invention be used conjointly since various features may be used to advantage in different combinations and subcombinations.

Having described the invention, what is claimed 1s:

1. As an article of manufacture a solid steel button comprising a shank and an integral head, a shell applied over the button head and sumciently larger than the button head in diameter to allow for irregularities in shape and size of said head, the shank of the button being centered concentric to the shell and the latter crimped over the edge of the button head whereby the shank and shell are concentric regardless of eccentricity of the button head.

2. As an article of manufacture a metal button comprising in combination -a solid steel body head having small projections on its underface adjacent its rim, and a thin sheet 'metal shell covering the top of the button head and having a flange bent over the rim of the button head into firm engagement with said projections and the underface of said head, said shell being slightly enlarged in diameter relative to the button head to accommodate small irregularities in size and shape of the button head.

3. As an article of manufacture a solid steel button comprising in combination a solid head provided with an integral shank, and a thin sheet metal shell covering the top of the button head and having a flange bent over the rim of the button head into firm engagement with the underface of said button head adjacent its rim, said button head being formed with small irregularities in its underface in the region engaged by said flange, said flange being pressed against said irregularities so as to conform thereto and o 

